In between veteran mini-camp and training camp, coach Bill O’Brien told John McClain of the Houston Chronicle that Kareem Jackson would shift from cornerback to free safety to fill the void. Now, it appears Jackson will still have position flex this season, not solely play on the back end.

“He’s a versatile guy,” O’Brien said. “He’s concentrating on safety now, but we actually talked this morning again – he and I – just about making sure you know the other spots, too. He’s one of those guys back there that’s kind of a utility that can do some different things. Right now, he’s playing safety but helping us on special teams doing some different things. So, he’s doing a lot of different things.”

Jackson, who enters his ninth season in the NFL, all with Houston, prides himself on being able to play multiple spots and not get locked into just one role.

“That’s one of the things that I take pride in, my game and being able to play multiple positions, being able to play corner, the ‘Star’ spot and now safety,” Jackson said. “For me, it’s about being versatile. If I can be versatile, I can help this team any way possible. That’s what I’m all for.”

While Jackson will be able to play multiple spots for the Texans, including special teams, the main focus for the first-round pick from Alabama in 2010 will be at safety. Cornerback Johnathan Joseph, who has been Jackson’s teammate since 2011, has the confidence in the 30-year-old.

“He’s up for it,” said Joseph. “I’ve been with him for eight years now and every challenge that has been thrown his way. From his first year when they had him rotating in and out, he stepped up and took the challenge and became a full-time starter to earning him a contract extension. So, it’s no different from this time right here.”

Jackson has intercepted 14 passes, had 70 passes defensed, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, a sack, and 472 tackles in his 116 games (108 starts) with the Texans as a cornerback. O’Brien has confidence that as a safety, Jackson will be comfortable playing closer to the line of scrimmage since some of his role as a nickel corner involved just that.

Said O’Brien: “Usually, you’re a lot more involved in the running game, but the one thing about that is he played a lot of nickel so he’s been close to the ball quite a bit in his career, which is similar to a safety position in certain defenses. So, it’s not a huge adjustment for him. He’s a smart guy. He knows how to do it.”

The other aspect about playing safety is relaying calls as opposed to receiving them, but it is a job that Jackson believes he can do since he perceives himself as a cerebral player.

“Instead of getting calls, you have to give the calls,” said Jackson. “You have to get guys lined up. You have to give the calls to the corner, the linebacker, whoever’s on your side of the field. You have to get the guys lined up. Just seeing, being there, being able to see the whole field, the whole formation and stuff like that that’s definitely one of the biggest changes.”

Jackson is battling third-round rookie Justin Reid for the starting free safety spot. If Reid should somehow beat out Jackson, the latter’s talents would still be valuable elsewhere to the Texans.

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